The Osorno volcano rises from the shore of Lake Llanquihue with the neatness of a child's drawing: a perfect cone, 2,652 metres high, white with snow at the top and dark with forest at the base. Its symmetry is often compared with Mount Fuji, and on a clear day, when the cloud lifts and the lake is still, it fills the sky at the southern end of the Chilean Lake District. It is among the most beautiful volcanoes in the Andes and is a landmark you can see from far away.
The road to its foot runs from Puerto Varas along the lakeshore, past the village of Ensenada, and then up toward a ski area on the volcano's flank. It passes through the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, the oldest in Chile, where thick forest of southern beech and giant ferns hangs over a landscape of black lava and volcanic sand. Near the road the Petrohué river rushes through a lava gorge in turquoise rapids, and the falls on it are a popular stop. The green of the water is startling against the dark rock.
The riding is a pleasure in good weather: the lakeside road is smooth and curved, with views of the water and, often, the neighbouring volcano Calbuco, which erupted in 2015 and covered the area in ash. The last section up the mountain is steeper and more twisting, with a surface that can be rougher, and the weather can change in minutes. Clouds frequently cover the summit, so there is no guarantee of a view, but when it clears the effect is dramatic.
The best season is summer, from December to March, when the days are long and the roads are dry, though rain is possible in any month. Bring warm clothing, because the wind from the glacier-covered slopes is cold. Early morning gives the best chance of a clear view.